Lecture by Prof. Nataliia Sydora on the Study of Bioactive Compounds of Plant Origin for Students of Åbo Academy University

On January 14, 2026, within the framework of international cooperation, a lecture was delivered by Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry and Pharmacognosy at Kyiv Medical University, Nataliia Sydora.

The lecture was given to undergraduate students majoring in Pharmacy at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Academy University (Turku, Finland), and was conducted in the format of an interactive lecture-discussion.

In order to present one of the key research areas of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry and Pharmacognosy of Kyiv Medical University, the following lecture topic was selected: “Study of bioactive compounds of plant origin. Establishment of the correlation between the structure of bioactive compounds and their pharmacological activity. Development of technology for obtaining dry plant extracts.”

The event was held at the invitation of Doctor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Adjunct Professor Outi Salo-Ahen.

The lecture emphasized the relevance of studying bioactive compounds of plant origin and addressed the advantages and specific features of herbal medicinal products in comparison with synthetic drugs. The main principles of pharmacognostic research of plant raw materials were presented, aimed at identifying new sources of bioactive compounds for the development of medicinal products with various therapeutic effects. In addition, methods for the standardization of non-official plant materials and herbal substances in accordance with the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia were discussed.

The students were introduced to the principles of chemotaxonomic research and, through a specific case study, examined the key stages in developing a model for the targeted search of plant sources of bioactive compounds. As an example of establishing structure–activity relationships, the results of studies on the antimicrobial activity of phenolic complexes were presented.

The lecture was conducted in a friendly and positive atmosphere. The presented materials generated strong interest among the students, leading to active discussion and numerous questions on the topic. The students noted that the information provided was new, engaging, and valuable for their professional development as future specialists in the pharmaceutical field.